University of California-Santa Cruz
Acceptance
66%
In-State
$16,005
Grad Rate (4yr)
61%
Retention
88%
Earnings
$68,396
AI Overview
Perched in the redwoods above California's coast, UC Santa Cruz combines serious environmental and agricultural science programs with a distinctly laid-back, progressive atmosphere. The residential college system creates intimate communities within a larger research university, perfect for independent thinkers who want both academic rigor and creative freedom. Students who thrive here embrace sustainability, question conventions, and appreciate learning in one of America's most stunning natural settings—banana slugs as mascots included.
AI-generated interpretation, separate from the federal statistics on this page · refreshed Mar 2026
SAT Score Range
SAT data not available
ACT Score Range
ACT data not available
In-State Tuition
$16,005
Out-of-State Tuition
$50,205
Room & Board
$19,948
Average Net Price
$17,890
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants & scholarships
Receive Pell Grants
32%
Take Federal Loans
28%
Median Debt at Graduation
$16,666
6-Year Graduation Rate
1st Year Retention Rate
Median Earnings
10 years after enrollment
$68,396Median Debt
At graduation for completers
$16,666Top Programs by Earnings
Bachelor's degree graduatesComputer Engineering
125 graduates
$124,641
4 yrs after graduation
Computer Science
658 graduates
$123,422
4 yrs after graduation
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
30 graduates
$118,290
4 yrs after graduation
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
92 graduates
$94,589
4 yrs after graduation
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
57 graduates
$88,305
4 yrs after graduation
Business/Managerial Economics
280 graduates
$82,064
4 yrs after graduation
Economics
159 graduates
$76,382
4 yrs after graduation
Cognitive Science
123 graduates
$72,125
4 yrs after graduation
Chemistry
54 graduates
$71,348
4 yrs after graduation
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
178 graduates
$69,849
4 yrs after graduation
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
Available Programs
70+ programsAnd 58 more programs available
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